The Omega Speedmaster, the Watch That Went to The Moon, Turns 50

The Speedmaster was famously the first watch ever worn on the Moon, so it's understandable that Omega would celebrate the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing with a star-studded birthday bash at the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida.

George and Amal Clooney came along to pay tribute the iconic timepiece's legacy with a dinner beneath the Saturn 5 rocket, where Omega unveiled a special 50th anniversary edition of the 42mm Speedmaster in 18KMoonshineTM gold, replete in lunar history.

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A little history lesson for you: The Speedmaster, a watch initially designed purely as a sport and racing chronograph, has played the extra crew member on all six lunar missions. The landmark piece first jetted upward in 1962, a full three years before it was officially deemed space-worthy. On its inaugural breaking of the atmosphere, the CK 2998 Speedmaster accompanied astronaut Willy Schirra aboard the Mercury-Atlas 8 on a quick jaunt to orbit the Earth six times. Its future was basically written in the stars.

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The Speedmaster's selection for interplanetary travel isn't coincidental, either. This thing is made for tough journeys. From there, the Speedmaster became part of the space-age furniture. It blasted off in Gemini 3 in 1965. It made the first ever American space walk with Ed White in the same year. Then it landed on the moon itself with Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong in 1969, and its iconic status was secured.

This story originally appeared on Esquire.co.uk. Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors.